Christopher Clark: His book is sparking a pro-Prussia movement in Germany

Germans are starting to rethink their negative views about Prussia, the state which ruled much of northern Germany for centuries and which has been viewed for decades through the prism of Nazism.

In particular, a book by Australian historian Christopher Clark has stirred a debate about Prussia which Germans have vilified since World War Two for representing the militarism, discipline and blind obedience that helped Hitler rise to power.

"The Rise and Downfall of Prussia 1600-1946" challenges the widely accepted negative view of the era in Germany and tries to present a balanced account of the north European territory which grew to be a major 18th and 19th century European power.

The book, printed in English and German, has been on the bestseller list in German bookshops for several months and even inspired the influential Der Spiegel magazine to run a 15-page cover story last week entitled "Prussia's true glory."